The Browns made a trade with the Jets on Thursday, acquiring safety Calvin Pryor in exchange for linebacker Demario Davis.

The Browns rid themselves of a player who wasn't in the plans past this year — and maybe not past this summer — for a low-risk shot on a former first-round pick who turns 25 next month. The Jets were going to release Pryor; Davis is under contract for one more season.

Davis had been running with the Browns' No. 1 defense as the middle linebacker in the team's base 4-3 defense in the team's organized team activity practices. Davis signed with the Browns as a free agent in 2016 after playing his first four years with the Jets, and now he returns to his natural spot as a 3-4 inside linebacker.

The Jets took safeties in the first and second round of this year's draft, in part because Pryor had just two interceptions in his first three seasons and had fallen out of favor with the coaching staff. The Browns aren't sure how things will shake out at the safety position and add Pryor to a group that includes first-round pick Jabrill Peppers, 2016 fourth-round pick Derrick Kindred as well as Ed Reynolds and Ibraheim Campell.

Perhaps most important, the Browns get a chance to get something positive out of Pryor without giving up one of the precious draft picks they've been acquiring over the last two offseasons. The Browns have five picks in the first two rounds of the 2018 draft.

“Calvin is a young [and] experienced safety that has upside,” Browns vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said in the team's statement on the trade. “We are pleased to be able to add him to our defensive back room and just like every player we acquire, we expect him to come in with a hard-working mindset ready to compete.

“Demario is a guy that we developed the utmost respect for in his time with our team, not only as a professional but also as a person. We appreciate all he did for our organization in his time in Cleveland.”

The Browns just extended linebacker Christian Kirksey this week and signed Jamie Collins to a new contract in January. Kirksey had been playing weakside linebacker, and Collins was on the strong side in the base defense this spring. Those two figure to be the team's linebackers in nickel defensive packages. Among the players in line for more snaps with Davis gone are Dominique Alexander and Joe Schobert, both second-year players.

Zac Jackson is a Browns writer for The Athletic Cleveland. He is also the host of the 'A to Z' podcast alongside Andre Knott. Previously, Zac covered the Browns for Fox Sports Ohio and worked for Pro Football Talk. Follow Zac on Twitter @AkronJackson.